AAA expects Thanksgiving travel to set new records across the board, with nearly 4.5 million Floridians expected to take a trip of 50 miles or more. As more than 4.1 million prepare to take a road trip, they should expect to pay more at the pump than they did last year, the Auto Group said.
“An uptick in oil prices has restored upward pressure on pump prices as a record number of Americans prepare to hit the holiday road,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA - The Auto Club Group. “Oil prices increased last week on concerns that rising tensions in Ukraine could impact global crude supplies. While higher oil prices should cause an uptick in prices at the pump, it’s unlikely to be significant enough to cause people to cancel travel plans.”
The price of crude rose 6% last week, settling at $71.24 per barrel. That’s within the same range of where oil traded two weeks ago.
Last week, Florida gas prices dipped down to $3.01 per gallon. At the start of the week, they were back up to $3.12 per gallon, and an even higher $3.18 in Osceola County by Monday.
Prices have followed the same pattern the last two weeks: slowly and steadily fall through mid-week, plateau on the weekend, then jump 15 to 20 cents on Monday.
To show the shifts in the market, last Thanksgiving, Florida gas prices averaged $3.03 per gallon. On Thanksgiving Day 2022, the state average was $3.41 per gallon.
So if you’re filled up with gas — and too much Thanksgiving cheer to safely drive — The Auto Club Group will also launch its free ‘Tow to Go’ service, which is aimed at preventing impaired driving by offering a safe ride for would-be impaired drivers and their vehicles. AAA requests that the program be used as a last resort.
If you need a safe way to get you and your vehicle home between 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 27 through 6 a.m. Monday, Dec. 2, call (855) 2-TOW-2-GO “If you plan to consume alcohol or drugs this weekend, make plans for a safe ride home first,” Jenkins said. “If your plans fall through, you can call AAA, and we’ll get you to a safe place.”
The Auto Club Group has provided the Tow to Go program for more than 25 years, removing nearly 30,000 impaired drivers from U.S. roadways.
“If you plan to consume alcohol or drugs this weekend, make plans for a safe ride home first.”
MARK JENKINS Spokesman, AAA
